Sound-reproducing instrument.



APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3, 1912.

Patel-ted May 20, 1913.

B. E. SMITH. SOUND REPRODUCING INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3, 1912.

Patented May 20, 1913 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

B. B. SMITH. SOUND REPRODUGING INSTRUMENT.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 3 1912.

Patented May 20, 1913 4 8HBETSSHEET 3.

B. R. SMITH. SOUND RBPBODUGING INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED mun a. 1912.

1,062,369. Patented May 20,1913.

4 SEEETSSHEET 4,

max

III/I III UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BEN SMITH. OF CHICAGO. ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO SMITH REPEATOSTOP COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. A CORPORATION.

Specification of Letters Yatent.

Patented May 20, 1913.

.Lpplication filed June 3, 1912. Serial No. 701,195.

7' all whom it may (.iUI/r'tlit} T e it known that l, Bax It. Snrrn, a citizen of the United States. residing at 3922 North llamiltou avenue, Chicago, Illinois, haveiurcnted new and useful Improvements in Stumd-Reproducing Instruments, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to means connected with a sound-reproducing instrument for automatically causing such instrument at:

-the end of a performance to either repeat such performance. or to cease playing. a The invention relates more especially to the type of instrument employing a flat circular disk, hereinafter referred to as a record disk, for recording the impressions of the various selections which are to be repro.

duced; suclrtype of instrument being more ommonly referred to as a graphophone.

i he present invention contemplates the employment of an attachment for such an instrument not previously designed for such purpose, and such attachment is adapted .for engagement" with the moving parts of the, instrument In such manner as to auto-- matically accomplish the-necessary movements to ei thercause av repetition of the peri n rmincc.of a selection; or to arrest the r operation of-the. instrument. 4 .30

The device comprises more particularly .an attachmentwhich is design'cdto engage with the s .u1 11(l-reproducing means, herein- 5 after referred as the soundbox, in order to raisev such sound box from the record disk at the end of its travel over such disk' andplaee, it in thep'roper position for repeating such travel. n the. same manner-as {is ordinarily done by the operator when a repetition of..-t he select-ion is desired; and in addition, means areprovuleil for engaging with the rotating table or t-urnjtablo-which carries the record disk for braking or arresting the rotation of such table. at either :the end of the first, second or a predetermined.subsequent pt'n'tormance of the selection, according to a pro-arranged setting of.

- .the device.

The device. comprises in general terms, i shelf-like. member which extends horizontally over the surface. of the. record disk immediately belmv the path of travel of the sound box and means operating at. the end of a performance of one of such record disks for inclining the shelf byraising its inner. end; whereby the sound box is raised from as it may be actuate the record disk and is caused to slide (or roll, being provided with a wheel for such purpose) over the surface of the shelf and assume the correct position for a repetition of its travel over the record disk. In such positiomacccrding to apre-arranged setting of the device, the parts may be arrested and maintained; or the shelf may again assume its original horizontal position and allow the sound box to repeat its travel over the record disk'and the instrument thereby to continuously repeat its performance of the selection'engraved u on such diskas' long by its drivingspring or otherimpelling means with whichtlrd instrument may be provided; or the device may be arranged to permit a limited number of repetitions only, after which the braking device is brought into operation toarrest the further performance of the instrument. A device embodying the principles of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying-drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view illustrating the device in combination with a sound-reproducing instrument'of well known form. ig. 2 is a, similar view of the device detached from the instrument and with, a portion broken away to disclose parts lying beneath. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig-. 2, but showing the moving parts in an altered position with relation to each other. Fig. I

"l isaverticalsection on the line 4 of Fig. I

2. Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5 of Fig. 1. Fig 6 is a reproduction of it port-ion of Fig. 5 on a larger scale. Fig. 7

is a vertical section through the axis of the" wheel 36 shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a View showing the selecting and braking meeha-v nism arranged beneath the inclining shelf, being shown as a horizontal section taken on the line 8 of Fig. 9; Fig. 9 is a view of the same parts in side elevation. Fig. 10

a vertical section on the line 10. of Fig.

8. Fig. llis a similar section on the line 11 of Fig. 8. Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. ll but showing the moving parts, in an altered position with relation to. each other. Fig. 13 is a vertical. section on the line 13 of Fig. 9. Fig. 14 is a vertical section on the. line lat of Fig. 8.

As shown in said drawings the graphophone instrument comprises a box or housios ing 12, including a horizontal top zor cover 15 in which box or housing is arranged theof the device by its frictional engagement with the rotating table. A long, hollow, horizontal arm 20, pivoted upona bracket member 21, attached to the side .of the same.

graphophone housing, carries at its free end a hinged and curved hollow arm 22, supporting the sound-reproducing device or sound box 23;the latter carrying a needle or stylus 24, which engages a spiral groove in thesurface of the record disk 18. These parts are shown invthe form which the assume in awell' known type of graphop one apparatus, and,'except as hereinafter specified, their particularconstruct-ion constitutes no part of the present invention;

' .Above the table 16 and normally lying parallel therewith is arranged a flat shelf; like member 25, which takessomewhat the form as seenin top plan view of a letter V;

center of the .table'16 and. its opposite ends extendingYbeyond the circumference of the The latter are bent downward and hinged to thec'nds of a horseshoe-shaped member or bracket 26, secured to the. cover portion 15 of the grapho hone box andlike-f wise extending beyond-te-eircumference of such rotating table and upturned at its ends. 1 A in order to incetthe ends of the shelf 25. By this meansit will be'seenthat the inner end of the shelf-like member, beingthe por-.* tion' thereof lying abovetth'e center of thecircular rotating table, is free to rise and fall in the operation of the device, andlthe purpose of bending its outer ends downward andhin'ging them .uponan axis somewhat below the plane of the shelf is to also cause the inner end of the shelf to move radially with respect to the circular table a greater distance than would be the case if its angular .movement were confined to an are having a vertical, tangent at its foot; such radial movement, as will hereinafter be more fully explained, being necessary in the operation-of the device. The said shelf 25 and the bracket member 26 are conveniently made of sheet metaland their related ends take the form of hinge leaves, the. parts being connected by means of removable pins orloosebutts 30,30. Thebracket .26 is conveni'ently secured to the cover 15 bymeans of s5rews 31 passin' through holes in such I bracket, whereb'y,a te'r temporarily detaching the table16fr'om its spindle, the bracket may be accurately located'upon thecover 15 for the shelf 25-to assumeits correct P OSl-J .ti on respect to such spindle:

To the upper end-of the shaft 17 isfixed a threaded stud or screw 32, as here shown designed -to replace the shorter} unthreaded stud ordinarily placed in the'center of the rotating table of the type of graphophone here illustrated, said screw being made hollow at its lower end and internally threaded ,for engagement with, the reduced and correspondingly threadedshaft 17. v It is desirable that the screw 32 instead of having threads of ordinary form, ismade with threads having somewhatithe form, as seem in cross section, of upwardly facing saw teeth in order to secure more efi'ective ellgagement therewith of another part of-the device hereinafter described.

The screw 32 extends through an opening 34 in theshelf 25, which opening is made large enough to permit the shelf to be raised above the top of the screw for the purpose of placingtherecord disks upon'the table,

and removing them therefrom. In the nor;

mal operation of the graphophone apparatus the shelf'25 occupies a horizontal posi tion as shown in the fulllines in Fi' 5,

'being supported by-other parts beneat it,. g r I to be hereinafter described, 'and'the sound being arranged with its-closed end over the box 23 in its travel over the record disk remains a smalldistance above the shelf and 32 and by the rotation of the latter to raise said shelf into its'inclihed position as shown by the dotted lines in Fig; 5; whereupon the latter engages with a small wheel 36' mountedin a bracket member 37 attached to the curved tube 22 adjacent to the sound box,'and said sound box is accordingly lifted lfrom the record disk and travels down the inclined surface of the'shelf to its initial' position at the eircumfere'n'ceiof thedisk.

The said bracket member 37 comprises a band 38 which encircles the curved tube 22 at the end of the latter immediately adjacent-to the sound box, the ends of such band beingsecured together by a small bolt'39 and being widened to form a flat plate in the lower margin of which is cut a vertical slot 40. The wheel 36 is-mounted upon a shaft 41 having a shoulder 42 near one end, and being' threaded at the other end to engage with a nut in the form of a thumb screw 43 between. which and the shoulder 42, the portions of the plate 37 adjacent to.

the slot may be clamped whereby the wheel may be raised or lowered in the bracket in "order to accommodate the device to different 9 lengths of needle which may be used in the sound box. According to a prearranged setting of-thedevice the parts may remain, in, such position with the shelf 25 raised and the sound box out of engagement with the record disk, and the brakingdevice may .i-.; gether. -The pin go-slot in one'arni 'S o a \\'hi th is pivoted upon the ulult|.;side of'the.

sheltg' said hell-crank lever: havinga arm for swinging it about its pivot point" -61 and bringing the blo -k5t) 'into 'engage' 3 inent wit-lithe screw-32.

Operate to arrest further rotation of the turn table; or the shelf may he again lo'ivered the sound box replaced in engagelilent in a record disk and the instrument 5 allowed to repeat its pert'orumnee one or more times after which the braking device may operate; or the braking device may remainwh olly inorn-rative and the instrument be permitted to repeat its perfm'inance an unl mited-lumber of times.

I a he means \vlu-r lrv the shelf'iz'i ishrought intoengagement with the ti't"\-' -22. i n order that the rotation oi the latter may'raise the inner end of said. slu-li". eonrprisrs a small block 50 arranged elow the end of the shelf Ziadjacent the opeuin; 'l and designed to more radially in order to engage with the screw 32 said block ll2l\'lll 1' a slot it at one end engaging with a pin 5 0 of the shelf 25 and having near its other end short. pin engaging with a similar slot. 54 ivhieh constitutes an L'Xtcnsinu of the opening 34, wherein-'- said )lutk is freer" ushde tOvi ttltl and from the screw 32;.Halltl Mbloek having its inner end formed in the shape of a thin cont-ave edge or thread 56 1(laptcd to engage with the threads of the screw 3.2 when the parts. are broughtto- 53 also engages -\\"ith a f a hell crank lever 59 'Ihe hell cra n l le .ve-I 59 also provided 'u'ith 'a slot'tig' exlending in-the direction of air are about its pivot/{mint (3 movement-of such hell erankleverf' The bell crank levertitl 13 designed to-re- -%.;1;nain normally in the position slit-ni'n-infi Fig. 2 with-the arm 58 andf't-lie hloc ki 50 'at- 1'32, and is retained'thns' by a latch-(1G, \i hih .-.-latch comprises a pi votedlerer having at its free end apo'inted toe or -footj(38 znlapted' to -,-rest upon the curved or 'oanvshaped. end 9 being: drawntoniea'nsof a J-sptin'g 70. It designed, however,

when-the arni 58 has moved asmall distance ina direction to slide the block- 50 toward .thescrew, the latch tit) will' .operate to l quickly nioveittln'ou'gh the rest of itsthr w and into the.positionishownin 'lfig. 3. and

--will thereupon act .to yieldingly "retain the block in engagement with the screw until (se -the blocltis' again fwit-hdrawn in'the further operation ofthedevice, as will he hereinafter described.

. shown in Fig.

2 tixed'in the end longv described 1',- the ends of such slot being designed to engage with a pin 64 4g fixed in ithe shelf 25 in order to lll lllt the gitud-inally I cated at 76, to engage with a pin 78 fixed in ,the shelf, and having at its other end a pin I 79.;0ngaging with a similar slot-BO inflthe attached thereto withdrawn. from the screw that :hcreinafter explained,

' of the bell Y For this puirpose the end of theatre-58 v 'hieh engages with the point.

d toe 68 is correspondm%flly pointed so that w v i i the shelf 25 and oyer the-reeegdfdislgina carry the pointed toe 68 over the highest place on its rounded end it will he quickly tlll'tHYIl the further distant-e required to vonv' plete its movement lrv the pressure of su h pointkfd toe and the engagingsuri'ares sliding "uponeaeh other; the curved or rain-shapei'l {sin-fare (it) being interrupted by cnttmgthe end f the-arm ott' diagonally to form a be\' t'lttl or \\'e lge-sln\ped surf-are Tl. \Yhcn the hlcrk fit) is in its withdrawn position. as 2, the pointed end of the foot (38 rest; upon the curved surface (it) and arts to, \'it'l(lingl maintain the parts in sin-h pesitit-in; but when the block has been moved a small distaure toward the sereuz; the foot (18 at the end of the latch lever (it) slides down over the slantingsurface Tl to quickly complete the niovenient of the parts and hold the block and the screw together; thcengag'ing surfares between the arm 58 and the-latch lever hovv ever being arranged at such an angle that 'u suilici'ent pressure upon the thin end of the sliding, block will force it anay from and out of engagenu-nt with the svren' such withdrawing movement ol' the sliding bolt causing the foot 8 to slide up over the pointed end of the arm and again rest upon the rounded 'part (if), in which positionthe. parts will he set for a subsequent operation of thefdcitir: i i

The nieazns for operating the longi' arm tit) o l the hell crank lever in order to bring the :l)l()('l 50 into engagement withltlievserew een'iprises partswas follows: \rranged upon the under'side ot the shelff'j .a-iid extend mg in a direction parallelv to the a' ,riii 6O when the letter is inits normal position, and over-lapping the, endof such long arm, is a sliding rack bar 75, the latter beinglonslotted near one. end, as indislielf. Along one edge of said rack bar are -fdrni-cd rackteeth 84 meshing with a.- pin- "ion 85 on the lower end eta spindle 86 ex- -tendmg through and ](l\ll'lt-t1lt3(l in. the shelf J), the upper end of saidspindle being pro- ;vided with a rotative dial 8S and a knurled thlnnb wheel 89 similar tothedial of u safe, hyi nieansot which the spindle me be. reatedtov slide the rack bar 75 lengthwise along the underside of the shelf:{ a small inarlt 90-bciugnnade upon the shelf to indi eate the eorreet setting of the dial as will be At the "end of the rack bar-75 which overlaps .thelong arm (50 crank lever, and by means of the small pin 79,; there is pivoted a'T-shaped lever 92, the sanie comprisinga head portion -93 which estends parallel to the arm GOa'nd immediately adjacent thereto; andga long arm; 9 which extends beyond the {edge of 32, and the latch raise the inner end of the shelf '25 beneath the wheel 36 and; thereby raise the sound box audit-s needle from. the record disk; the, inclining of the shelf being sutlicient to cause the sound box, supported by its wheel 36. to

roll downward along the shelf'toj the outer edge of the disk and in position for a repetitlon'of the performance of the selection} In order to insure positi-veoperation of the parts at all times the screw 32 ismade ofsuch length asto raise thei'nncr; end of the shelf somewhat higher than may always be necessary to overcome the frictional and othenresistance of the parts and cause the soundbox to roll downward abovedecribed; and after the-slid'ing block has engaged with the screw the shelf will continue' to rise, until the sharp .edge' of theblock has reached the end of, the threaded portion of the screw, at which point, by

reason of the inclinatioirof; the shelf il's projected length upon the record disk'will have become shortened suflicicntly to pull the block away from the screw a m'l release the end of the shelf and allow-itto, fall back into itshorizontal position; the block being then retained in such withdrawnjpm.

- sition and ready for a subsequent operation by means. of the latch-'60 ,with its pointed toe resting upon the cin'vedcud of the arm 53 as shown lll Fig. 2.' Ti has bcerrftmnd that on ditlcrcnt' record disks the length of the engraving varies. and the inner ends Qf the engraved spiral lines may be at different' distances from the centers of the disks. The rack-bar with its connected partsv therefore'prm'idcdJin.order to move the" arm tllinwardaiul outward and toplace it' in the correct position to engage with the arm on the sound box nnnu-(liatcly after the .latterhas reached the end of the en-- gravin'g, and not before; and the dial S8" is. provided in order that after the correct setting for any given record disk is once .obtained a corresponding figure. may be fmar'ked "upon such disk and the same setting again secured by simply '.turning the dial to the ccrrectposition. without the necessity of closely ,exaniining the-engraving upon the disk.

At tl e end ofits outward travel upon the 65 shelf the sound boxis arrested by means for a sliding {through openings lll suclrtlanges and .is

block 50 toward the screw latter being ordinarily made 'en't; diameters.

of a stop which is also made adjustable to provide for record disks of different diameters. Such stop comprises-a base plate 102 with its ends up-turned 'or tlanged, as shown at 103 andlOl, to provide supports pin or bolt 105 which extends provi ed with fiat circnlar heads, 106 and 107 respectively, at each end. Coiled compression springs 105), 109, are interposed between the circular heads at the ends of the sliding pin and the adjacent bearing flanges through which such pin passesin order to cushion. and absorb the shock of thesound box strikingagainst one of the ends of such sliding pin. The base plate 102 is .pivoted upon the upper side. of the shelf 25 by means of a small bolt'l-ll which passes. through such plate nearer to one .end than to the other in order that by turning it about such pivot point either its long end or its short end may be directed toward the center of the circular disk to' accommodate the device tofa small, or a large disk,'res} ectively;'the

111 is provided with. a nut. as shown, and Between such nut and the bottom of-the shelfthere is interposed a sp jg'g, 113 to draw the bolt downward and ric tional cngagenientribetwecn .theplate 102 and the shelf 25; and punched depression 115 in such base plate,- is also .desi ned to engage with holes 11"? ,inthel'shelf t-o iriaintain the adjustable phrts .in,.th.eir correct Setting. There is alsi provided belowlthe shelf 25 means for The lower end of the bolt irrcsting its fall when released fronr engagement with the screw f 32, such means comprising a dash' potde-- vice in the form of a vert cal cylinder 'which is mounted upon thehase .tla ngc 20 of the device. such cylinder being provided witha cylinder head 1'22 and having there'- 1n :1." piston 124 provided with a piston rod 125 which extends upward throughan open; mg in the center of the cylinder head The piston is madea loose tit within the cylinder and the latter may be filled with liquid such as glycerin or oil if desired. In operation the descending shelf "25 is retarded in .its fall by the piston rodupon which .it

rests, the latter being retarded by the slow escape. of air or liquid from the lower to the upper end of, the cylinder. coiled spring 128 acts to raise the piston when released from the weight of the shelt'Iabovc. 7

Referring now tothc. selecting device for automatically sclccting a' pre-dctcrmined number of repetitions and then brin; 'in; the

braking dcvicc into'opcration. when dcsirc.d,

the same is arranged beneath the inclining :zhclf E25 and comprlscs a .\'t "lll(|l-l:ll shaped .flat plate pivoted hdrizon-taltu at its small end and free to more upand down at iLs other end in the manner of a pump handlc;

Such segmental, plate is spring-pressed upard but in each operation of the inclining shelf 5"?) is pushed downward by the weight of such shelt' resting upon its upper edge. A pawl carried by the plate engages with a ratchet. wheel to rotate the latte a small angular distance at each downward movement of the pawl; and such ratchet wheel is designed at. the end of its rotative movement to actuate abraking device and arrest the rotation of the turn table 16. The determining of the desired number of repetitions is accomplished by setting the ratchet wheel a measured distance forward in its movement at the beginning of the operation; and the braking device rendered ino 'ierative to permit of an unlimited number of repetitions by allowing the pawl to rest upon a smooth place on the circumference of the ra chet wheel, the latter thus remaining sta=ionary. These parts more particularly described arc as follows: A flat vertical 1'c('- tangular plate in the form of a wall lit-"1 is arranged beneath one arm of the shelf :23 adjacent the hinged end of the latter and extending in a radial direction toward the circumference of the tlllll table 16, such plate being; formed with an integral, horizontal. supporting base portion 130 by means of which it is secured upon the base plate Qt: of the apparatus; and as here shown such horizoi'ital base portion 136 likewise constitutes a support for the dash pot cylinder 120 above described.

In the upper outer corner of the plate 135 is pivoted upon a horizontal pivot pin 137 the small end of the segmental shaped plate, 138, above referred to, the free end of such plate being of sufficient width to extend from the base plate 26 to the shelf 25 when-the latter is in its horizontal position, thereby constituting a support for such shelf which rests upon its upper edge.

1'. flat, curved spring 112 pressing upon the lower edge of the segmental plate 1:38 acts to push the latter upward at its free end, such upward movement, being limited by means of a bolt 117 which extends through an arc-shaped slot 148 in the large end of the plate. I it will be seen therefore that upon each upward movement of the shelf 25 the segmental plate 138 will be raised by the sprin 142, and upon each downward movement of the shelf it will be again pushed downward by such shelf. Arranged with its plane parallel with and adjacent to the plane of the segmental plate 138 is a ratchet wheel- 153 having in a part of its circumference IELtCl'lCb'lBGtll 151v which are designed to engage with a pawl 156 piv oted upon the plate 138 and pressed toward such ratchet wheel by means of a spring 157. A second pawl 158 is pivoted about. the same axis as the plate 138. being mounted upon the shaft 137 above described, and is which, together with the back plate 1 13.

incloses the'selccting mecl'ianism; the two plates being secured together by me us of bolts 1G4, 166, and the bolt 147 abore dcscribed. The two bolts 1G4. and 166 also serve to maintain the spring 142 in place. as shown in Fig. 11, the spring being curved about the upper bolt and its lower end ongaging with the lower one. The plate 180 is horizontally slotted. as shown at .170 and 170. and the bolts 164: and 147 pass tarough such slots. small s 'iacing tubes 168. 168 being placed upon each bolt to prormrly space the two walls 135 and 162 apart and maintain them in parallel and rigid relation to cach other. The plate 160 is also provided at about the center of its length with a horizontal slot tl'irough which extends one hub 170 of the ratchetwheel. and such slot is continued upward at one end in the form of a large rectangular opening 1.72 through which cxtcnds a crank pin 171 pro-- jccting from the plane of the ratchet wheel. in order to better support the crank pin 17]. the ratchet wheel 15 instead of coniprising a single circular disk, is made spoolshaped. having a cylindric drum portion with integral circular heads at each end. one of them comprising the ratchet wheel 153. and the other being indicated at 1741 and the spool-shaped member is extended at each end beyond such circular heads to form the hub 170, above designated. and a similar hub 17!") at its other end. These hubs extend into circular openings thrtmgrh the front and back plate 162 and 135, resper tively which thereby form bearings for the ratchet wl'icel. The circular disk 174 also furnishes lateral support for the. sliding plate 160 which lies between it and thctront wall 162, and the pin 17l tits tightly into an opening through the disk and is extended beyond its front face to engage in the openin through the sliding plate. :s abovef dc scribed. in he rotation of the ratchet wheel the pin. li'l cugagcs in the vertical sides of the wide slot or opening; 172 to more the sliding plate forward and baclnvard. and the inner end of such plate is extended to ward the turn table and bent to form a brale lug foot 176 having a ircular opcningtherethrough through which is inserted a brakehoe 177. the lnttrr being eonvcnicntly made of wood rubber or other frictional material and the opening through the bral efoot being threaded as shown in order to permit the brake-shoe to be adjusted'with respect thereto. A flat, coiled spring 180 which is Wound about the drum portion of the spool-shaped member 153 acts to notate the latter in a counter-clockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 11, this direction carrying the pin 171 away from the turn table and acting to withdraw the brake-shoe from engagement with the circular plate, such pin extending through a curved slot 182 in the plate 162 andsuch counter-clockwise rotation of the disk 153 being limited either by the lower end of such slot or by a triangular cover plate 183 which may be adjusted to partially cover such slot, according to the desired operation of the parts. The triangular adjusting plate 183 is fixed on the end of a shaft 185 which extends entirely through the spool-shaped member 153 and is provided at its rear end with a nut 186 and also with a spring 187 interposed be- 'tween such nutand the back plate 135 to press the plate 183 into yielding contact with the plate 162. A pin 190 fixed in the apex of the triangular plate 183 IS desigr'ied to engage with holes 191, 191 arranged in the plate 162 in-an are about the axis 185.

and the triangular plate is also provided with a knurled hand wheel 192 by means of which it may be rotated and adjusted in such position as to cover a partof the curved slot 182 of moreor less extent, thereby limiting the travel of the pin 171 in such slot, or, if desired, to entirely uncover such slot, as indicated by its dotted outline in Fig. 9. Pins 196 and 197 projecting from the segmental plate 138 limit the inward movement of the pawls 156 and 158 for a purpose which will be hereinafter explained. j

The operation of the device is as follows: When the shelf 25 is lifted the necessary dis; tance to place a record disk upon the instrument the plate 138 will spring upward as far as will be permitted by the slot 148 and this movement will disengage both the pawls 156 and 158'fro1n the ratchet teeth and allow the pin 1.71 to be rotated backward in its curved slot as far as is permitted by the adjusting plate 183; or entirely to the end of such slot according to the pro-arranged setting of the device. The graphephone instrument is then set in operation in the usual manner and at the end of the performance of thcselection the inclining shelf 25 will operate as above described to return the sound box to its original position at the circumferenceof the disk, whereupon, again descending,the shelf 2-5 will push the triangular supporting plate 138 downward; and at the same time the sound box will be set upon the record disk, and, the latter rotating, the spring pressed stop 100 will urge it inward until its needle engages with the spiral grooves and continues the sound box upon its journey over the disk. 'In the event that the dial plate 183 has been set to entirely uncover the curved slot 182- and has been set in a position covering a portion of such slot the position of the ratchet wheel 153 will be correspondingly changed so that the descending p'awl 156 will engage with one of the ratchet teeth and rotate the ratchet wheelthe distance of its-travel; the operation being repeated until the pin 171 has been rotated a sufiicientdistance toengage with the forward vertical wall of the slot 1'22 in the sliding plate 160 and press the brake-shoe into engagement with the circular plate 16 to arrest the rotation of the: latter. For a succeeding operation of the graphophone instrument the shelf 25 is again lifted, permitting the plate 138 to spring its full distance upward and free the ratchet wheel as before; and ifa different number of repetitions is desired for such succeeding operation the adjusting plate 183 is rotated by hand into another one of its positions, which will alter the distanceof travel of the pm 144. before engaging with the slidin plate to actuate the braking device.

I claim as iny invention:

1. The combination with a sound-reproducing instrument including a sound box, and a rotating table, of a shelf arranged below the path of travel of said sound box, a screw fixed to said rotating, table and rotated thereby, a member carried by said shelf for engaging with said -screw, a part extending from said shelf over said record disk and adapted for engagement with said sound box in the travel of the latter, and

means acting through the movement of such part to bring said screw engaging member into engagement with-such screw and incline said shelf. 2..The combinatijon with a sound-reproducing instrument including a rotating table, of a horizontal shelf arranged above said rotating table, means for detachably securing said shelfto the instrument, a screw carried by said rotating table and rotated thereby, a movable member secured to said shelf for engaging with said screw, a lever extending from said shelf to engage with the sound box in the travel of the latter, and means for transmitting the movement of said lever to the movable member in said shelf.

3. The combination with a sound-reprodueing instrument including a rotating table. of a horizontal shelfarranged above said rotating table, means for detachably securing said shelf to the instrument, a screw carried by said rotating table and rotated thereby, a n" vable member secured to said shelf for engaging with said screw,

a lever extending from said shelf to engage with the sound box in the travel of the latter, and means for transmitting the movement of said lever to the movable member in said shelf, said lever being adjustable with respect to a radius of said rotating table.

4. The combination with a sound-reproducing instrument including a sound box, and a rotating table, of a shelf arranged above said rotating table, a sliding block in the end of said shelf, a pivoted lever for moving said block, said lever having a camshaped portion and a latch engaging with said cam-shaped portion to yieldingly maintain said sliding block in one of its positions. 7

5. The combination with a sound-reproducing instrument including a sound box, and a rotating table, of .a shelf arranged above said rotating table, a. sliding block in the end of said shelf, a pivoted lever for actuating said sliding block, and another lever extending over the record disk and engaging with said first lever.

(5 The combination with a sound-reproducing instrument including a sound box, and a rotating table, of a shelf arranged above said rotating table, a sliding block in the end of said shelf, a pivoted lever for actuating said sliding block, and another lever extending over the rotating table and engaging with said first lever, the said second mentioned lever being adjustable with respect to a radius of said rotating table.

7. The combination with a sound-reproducing instrument including a sound box. and a rotating table, of a shelf arranged above said rotating table, a sliding block in the end of said shelf, a pivoted lever for actuating said slidingbloclt, another lever extending over the rotating table and engaging with said first. lover, a rack bar to which said second mentioned lever is secured, a pinion engaging therewith, and indicating means for determining the correct setting of said rack bar.

8. The combination with a soundreproducing instrument including a sound box, and a rotating table, of a shelf extending over said rotating table, means for inclining said shelf, a movable member below said shelf, means for yieldingly pressing said member upward, said member being pressed downward in each downward movement of said shelf by the weight thereof, means operated by the. reciprocal movements of said member for arresting the opcration'of the sound-reproducing instrument, and means for selecting a pre-determined number of operations of said member before bringing said arresting device into operation.

9. The combination with a sound-reproducing instrument including a sound box, and a rotating table. of a shelf extending over said rotating table, means for inclining said shelf, a movable member below said shelf, means for yieldingly pressing said member upward, said member being pressed downward in each downward movement of said shelf by the weight thereof, means 0p-. cratetl by the reciprocal movements of said member for arresting the operation of the soulid-reproducing instrument, said means ii'icluding a ratchet wheel having a part of its circumference smooth and a pawl carried by said movable member for engaging with said ratchet wheel, and, means for causing said ratchet wheel to assume a position w ith said pawl resting upon the smooth part of the circninference.

10. The combination with a sound-repro ducing' instrument including a sound box, and a rotating table. of a shelf extending above the rotating ta le. means for inclining said shelf, and means a tuated by the weightthereof to arrest the operation of the instrument, said means including a sliding member having a brake-foot carrying a brake-shoe, and said sh e being adjustable with respect to said foot r 11. The combination-with a soundrreproduciiig instrument. of an inclining shelf, a yielding member below said shelf adapted for downward movement by the weight of said shelf resting upon it, means for returning said member upward when such weight is removed. a pawl carried by said member. a ratchet wheel for engagement therewith. a braking device operated by the movement of said ratchet wheel. and means for setting said ratchet wheel a pre-determined distance forward upon its travel atthe beginning of each operation.

The combination with a sound-reproducing instrument, of an inclining sh a rising and falling member downwm lly pressed by the weight of said shelf, means for yieldingly pressing said member upward, a pawl carried by said member, and a ratchet wheel for engagement therewith, said pawl being adapted for disengagement from said ratchet wheel in the upward movement of said member to its farthest extent.

13. The combination with a soundreproducing instrument, of a braking device comprising a ratchet wheel having a smooth place on its circumference, a movable member having a pawl for engagement with said ratchet wheel to rotate the same, means for yieldingly rotating said ratchet -wheel in a reverse direction, and means for permitting the latter to rotate in such reverse direction the required distance to bring such pawl slot to limit the distance of travel of said upon such smooth place. pin, or for uncovering such end to permit 14. The combination with a sound-reprothe pinto travel to its farthest extent toward ducing instrument, of a braking deviz'c colnsuch end. 15

a prising a ratchet wheel, a movable pawl In \YHHPSS whereof, I have hereunto subl'or rotating the same, means for yieldingb i scribed my name in the prscnce of two witrotating said ratchet wheel in a reverse di- 1 messes this 1st day of June, A. D. 1912. rection, a curved slot and a pin carried by} BEN R. SMITH. said ratchet wheel and entering said sl'otl \Vitncsses:

10 for limiting the rotation of said ratchet FLORENCE MGCULLOCII,

wheel, aqd means for covering an endof said THOMAS E. D. BRADLEY. 

